After moderating a consortium at New York University on the monetary inequalities behind preventing gay marriage, financial guru Suze Orman made her case on CNN.

When one spouse in a heterosexual couple dies, the other spouse would lose nothing to estate taxes. However, she explains, if she or her wife Kathy Travis were to die, the surviving spouse would lose as much as 50% because of estate taxes, since the federal government does not recognize same-sex relationships.

"If this was happening to straight couples, they wouldn't stand for it," she said.

Orman added, "I really feel I should be recognized, and every single gay person in the United States of America should be recognized for who they love and not penalized for it, financially speaking."